POLS ON THE STREET: McGeehan, NE Leader, Will Not Seek Reelection In 2014

State Rep. Michael McGeehan (D-Northeast), the longest-serving State Representative of the 173rd Legislative Dist., is delivering a Christmas Gift to potential aspirants â€“ his legislative seat. He will not seek a 13th term next year.

McGeehan, Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee, was first elected to the House in 1990. He spent 18 years on the House Labor Relations Committee, spearheading key fire safety and protection initiatives.

As Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee, McGeehan said he takes particular pride in last monthâ€™s House passage of Pennsylvaniaâ€™s first comprehensive transportation funding package in decades. In fact, his colleagues credit him with its passage.

Wards involved are the entire 41st, the 55th with 5 divisions, the 62nd with 8 divisions and 65th with 19 divisions, covering a population of 59,644.

In a legislative career that spans nearly two dozen years, McGeehan also served as majority chairman of the House Professional Licensure Committee.

McGeehan said, â€œIâ€™m extraordinarily grateful to the wonderful people of the 173rd Dist. whoâ€™ve elected and reelected me over the last 23 years. Personally knowing and serving a great many residents has been the highlight of my life,â€ McGeehan said. â€œI want to acknowledge and thank my family, staff and supporters for the help, dedication and sacrifices they have made on my behalf. I will always be appreciative and feel indebted to them all.â€

Itâ€™s rumored a frontrunner replacement could be either restaurateur Mike Driscoll or Kathy Price, well known for her work as key aide to the late Councilwoman Joan Krajewski.
Price hasnâ€™t made a decision yet. Mike said, â€œIâ€™m in it with two feet and already running fast.â€

GREMLINS WERE AT WORK IN OUR NEWSPAPER OFFICE
We still canâ€™t figure out why we indicated State Reps. Steve McCarter and Mary Jo Daley (both D-Montgomery) were reported in this column last week as endorsing State Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Northeast) for Congress in the 13th District. The real endorsers were Boyleâ€™s colleagues James Clay (D-Kensington) and Stephen Kinsey (D-N. Phila.). Both Clay and Kinsey are solidly behind Boyle in his effort to fill seat vacated by Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz. We appreciate Adam Ericksonâ€™s alert.

As of now, word is Brendan will run for both his State House and the Congressional seat in the primary.

DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL candidate Allyson Schwartz congratulates her former congressional colleague Pat Murphy on his new television show â€œTaking the Hillâ€ that airs Sundays on MSNBC. Pair were at Christmas party hosted by IBEW Local 98. Photo by Maria Merlino

N.E. DEMS DRAW BIG CROWD AT F.O.P. HALL
One might have thought the Democratic City Committee was holding a major Christmas gala at the Police Hall in the Northeast and not just the 17 ward leaders making up that area of the city. That was due to the turnout of supporters of many of the feuding candidates in the districts in that area with their supporters.

Also adding to the importance of the event was the appearances of Congressman and Party Chairman Bob Brady; Sonny Campbell, who heads Ward Leaders of Color; mayoral aspirant State Sen. Anthony Williams (D-W. Phila.); three of the four 13th Dist. candidates (Brendan Boyle, Marjorie Margolies and Val Arkoosh), State Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Northeast) and challenger Jared Solomon; and dueling 174th Dist. State Reps. John Sabatina, Jr. and Ed Neilson. Also present were State Sens. Mike Stack (D-Northeast), lieutenant-gubernatorial candidate, and Tina Tartaglione (D-Kensington), surrounded by admirers. (Check out pics elsewhere in this edition).

MORE ON DEMS’ PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR
Book a hotel room early for the Democratic State Caucus meeting in Hershey in early February. The announced candidates seeking the endorsement are many, with another two or three unannounced expecting to jump in that weekend.

All will be showing polls they can beat Gov. Tom Corbett, except for John Hanger.

We think the optimism is well founded as of today, but might disappear when the real campaigning gets underway. The Corbett-Cawley Campaign Mgr. Mike Barley has been taking attractive vote-getting achievements, unnoticed by the press, and working them into television campaigns by sectors across the Commonwealth.

US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) endorsed the duo this week, but we wonder if he remembers he ran on the Governorâ€™s coattails last time, not the other way around.

(In recent polling, Pennsylvaniaâ€™s senators performed almost identically when voters were asked about their job performance. US Sen. Bob Casey (D) got a positive 46-35% approval rating. Sen. Pat Toomey (R) earned 45%-34% disapproval. Casey performed fairly well across political ideologies, while Toomeyâ€™s numbers were slightly lower among moderates.)

STATE REPS. Ron Waters and Louise Williams share a moment with at Laborers’ District Council holiday party with Local 135 Business Mgr. Daniel â€œTigerâ€ Woodall.

Our locally endorsed candidate for Governor, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-Northeast) has picked up Teamsters Locals 249 and 926 based in Pittsburgh. â€œFrom slashing public education by nearly a billion dollars to hurting hard working men and women, Gov. Corbett has led Pennsylvania to the bottom,â€ said Marc Dreves, Local 926 secretary-treasurer. She continues to lead Corbett in the polls by eight points.

In the Lieutenant Governorâ€™s Democratic primary, scratch Northampton Co. District Attorney John Morganelli, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General in 2008 . He will not run; too busy on the farm.

TORTURING CORBETT WITH FAKE WEBSITE
Loyal Republicans who turn to www.tomcorbettfor governor.org for some rousing campaign tools â€“ will be in for a rude surprise. Instead of accolades, it is loaded with aggressive slams on the incumbent Governorâ€™s record.

Thatâ€™s because it is paid for by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. Its kickoff teaser reads â€œWatch the Video: Tom Corbett Said Heâ€™d Change Harrisburg But Heâ€™s Only Made It Worse.â€ The website becomes progressively less complimentary.

Hostile websites designed to trap unwary internet searches are an emerging tool in political campaigns. Ultraconservative State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) has already the target of one, â€œtherealdarylmetcalfe.comâ€; it drew squeals of pain from the Tea Party warrior, who is not shy about calling other people names.

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